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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Seal Cull (Russia)
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what research purpose the 500 harp seals and the 500 fully grown females referred to in the letter referred to in his answer, 10 June, Official Report, column 40, were taken. [5433]
Dr. Liam Fox: When the issue of seal research was raised at senior official level with the Russian authorities in September, they said that details of these activities would not be available until November.
The British embassy in Moscow wrote to the Russian authorities on 4 November to find out if the information is now ready. It followed this up on several occasions and was advised on 20 November that the information is not yet available.
Mr. Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how often the British embassy in Moscow has recently contacted the Russian authorities about the seal cull in the White sea; when was the last time the British embassy was contacted; and if he will make a statement. [5340]
Dr. Fox:
The issue of seal culling and the use of seals for research was raised at senior official level with the Russian authorities in September. The British embassy has followed up these discussions on several occasions since then. Officials were advised that details fo research activities would be available in November. The embassy was last contacted by the Russian authorities on 20 November when it was advised that the information was not yet available.
Mr. Gapes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Sri Lanka. [5387]
Dr. Liam Fox
We discuss a wide range of issues with the Sri Lanka Government. Most recently, my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary and I met the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister on 14 October. My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary visited Sri Lanka from 30 to 31 August. I visited from 25 to 29 September.
Mr. Gapes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in northern and eastern Sri Lanka [5385]
Dr Fox:
We continue to believe that the conflict in Sri Lanka can be resolved only through a negotiated settlement.
We have urged the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to make every effort to protect the civilian population and to work actively to reach a negotiated settlement.
25 Nov 1996 : Column: 77
Mr. Gapes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what economic, humanitarian and military assistance has been given to the Government of Sri Lanka in the last year. [5388]
Dr Fox:
Our bilateral aid programme to Sri Lanka is some £6.8 million for 1996-97 of which about £1.4 million will be spent through Oxfam and Save the Children Fund on relief and rehabilitation for those displaced by the conflict in the north and east. We have also provided emergency assistance to help those displaced in the north. Details of military assistance are confidential between Governments.
Mr. Gapes:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government's representatives last visited Jaffna; and at what level. [5386]
Dr Fox:
Our high commissioner in Colombo visited Jaffna on 31 October.
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a representative of the British high commission in Cyprus will next visit the Karpass area of northern occupied Cyprus. [5393]
Mr. David Davis:
The British high commission regularly sends representatives to visit all areas of Cyprus, including the Karpass. The most recent visit to the Karpass area was on 11 October 1996.
Mr. Denzil Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the (a) names, (b) substitutes and (c) sponsoring organisations of each of the present United Kingdom members of the Committee of the Regions of the EU. [5509]
Mr. David Davis:
Following is a list of the current full and alternate United Kingdom members of the Committee of the Regions. All were members of local authorities--also listed--at the time of their appointment:
| Members | Local authority |
|---|---|
| Full members | |
| Dame Elizabeth Anson | Waverley Borough Council |
| David Bellotti | East Sussex County Council |
| Albert Bore | Birmingham City Council |
| Lord Bowness | London Borough of Croydon |
| Simon Day | Devon County Council |
| Lady Josie Farrington | Lancashire County Council |
| Robert Eccles | Ryedale and York District Councils |
| George Gill | Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council |
| Toby Harris | London Borough of Haringey |
| Christopher Penn | Suffolk County Council |
| Dennis Pettitt | Nottinghamshire County Council |
| Janet Sillett | Norwich City Council |
| Lord Tope | London Borough of Sutton |
| Colin Warbrick | Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council |
| Daniel Coffey | Kilmarnock and Loudoun District Council |
| Charles Gray | Strathclyde Regional Council |
| Rosemary McKenna | Cumbermauld and Kilsyth District Council |
| Duncan McPherson | Highland Regional Council |
| Brian Meek | Edinburgh District Council |
| John Evans | Rhymney Valley District Council |
| Lord Kenyon | Wrexham Borough Council |
| Eurig Wyn | Gwynedd County Council |
| Reg Empey | Belfast City Council |
| Denis Haughey | Cookstown Borough Council |
| Alternative members | |
| John Battye | Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council |
| Kenneth Bodfish | East Sussex County Council |
| Peter Cocks | Cornwall County Council |
| Doreen Fleming | Fenland District Council |
| Elgar Jenkins | Bath City Council |
| Fraser Mitchell | Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council |
| John Morgan | Test Valley Borough Council |
| Sally Powell | London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham |
| Tony Pior | South Somerset District Council |
| Hedley Salt | Barnsley Metropolitan Borough |
| Peter Soulsby | Leicester City Council |
| Ian Swithenbank | Northumberland County Council |
| Paul White | Essex County Council |
| Milner Whiteman | Bridgnorth District Council |
| Keith Geddes | Lothian Regional Council |
| Marcus Humphrey | Grampian Regional Council |
| Jean McFadden | Glasgow City Council |
| Peter Peacock | Highland Regional Council |
| Clive Sneddon | North East Fife District Council |
| Jill Evans | Rhondda Borough/Mid Glamorgan County Council |
| Keith Griffiths | Gwent County Council |
| Bill Hughes | Swansea City Council |
| Simpson Gibson | Ards Borough Council |
| Sean Neeson | Carrickfergus Borough Council |
25 Nov 1996 : Column: 78
Land Mines
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with other member states of the European Union in respect of a common policy on the sale of land mines; and if he will make a statement. [5505]
Mr. David Davis: The EU has had a common moratorium on the export of all anti-personnel land mines to all destinations since 1 October, when it adopted a strengthened joint action on anti-personnel land mines. The UK has had such a moratorium in place since April.
Employment Contracts
Mr. Hain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) full-time jobs, (b) part-time jobs, (c) full-time jobs which are on (i) renewable and (ii) unrenewable fixed-term contracts, (d) part-time jobs which are on (i) renewable and (ii) unrenewable fixed-term contracts, (e) temporary jobs and (f) jobs classified as casual there have been in (1) his Department and (2) executive agencies of his Department for each year since 1992. [5417]
Mr. Hanley: I refer the hon. Member to the FCO departmental reports and to the civil service statistics and staff in post summary tables which contain information on full-time, part-time and casual staff employed by this department and its executive agencies. Copies are available in the Library of the House.
This Department has a policy of flexible employment. Jobs are not specifically set aside for different types of contract. Information on contractual arrangements is not held in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
25 Nov 1996 : Column: 79
Mr. Corbyn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the United Nations to ensure the distribution of food and water to Rwandan refugees in Zaire takes place. [5163]
Sir Nicholas Bonsor:
We are in close and regular contact with UN agencies and with the parties in the region to assess requirements and to ensure wider distribution of humanitarian relief to those in most need. We are also engaged in intensive consultations with potential partners and the UN on possible roles for the temporary multinational force authorised under United Nations Security Council resolution 1080, and the humanitarian task force the UN Secretary-General was requested to plan for in UNSCR 1078.
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